Class Schedule

This syllabus outlines our planned readings, assignments, and due dates. Because this course emphasizes process, collaboration, and learning as it unfolds, the schedule may be adjusted during the semester. I will make changes thoughtfully and with advance notice, based on our collective pace, interests, and needs. Please check the schedule regularly and come to class prepared to adapt as we go.

Week 1 – January 20

Introductions and Foundations of Digital Identity

In this opening session, we’ll review the syllabus, course structure, website, major components, grading, and policies. We’ll begin a shared conversation about digital footprints and online identity, including how identity is shaped across social media, LinkedIn, and personal websites. We’ll also explore what “personal branding” means both in person and online, and how these ideas will inform the reflective work in this course. This week is about orientation and baseline: understanding where you are starting from and how you currently show up in digital spaces. When did you last Google yourself? Guiding questions for group work to frame your current and future digital footprint: How would your friends describe you in 3-5 words? How would your favorite professor or supervisor describe you? Does your current online presence support those 3-5 words or contradict them? Why or why not? 

You will create your Skidmore Domains web account by logging in here: https://domains.skidmore.edu

Preparation and Readings for Next Class

Assignment: Mini-Vlog #1 (Identity Baseline)

You will record a low-stakes voice log of approximately 5 minutes as a mini oral biography. This recording serves as a planning and identity baseline that you will return to later in the semester.

Find a quiet place to reflect and record. Use your smartphone or your computer to record. If neither is an option, stop by Media Services and they can get you set up with a quick recording solution. Let me know if you have technical challenges but it should be relatively easy to find a solution. 

Using the guided prompts introduced in class and discussed in the readings, record a short reflection that explores:

• who you are and what matters to you, including your interests, values, strengths, and any areas where you hope to grow
• your current digital footprint and how it represents you right now
• how the ideas from the LinkedIn Learning video and article resonate with you
• what you hope to explore or develop this semester and through this course

This is not a performance or a polished recording. It’s a chance to think out loud, make connections, and speak honestly about where you’re starting from. Consider it a low-pressure conversation with yourself as you begin shaping your digital story this semester.

Upload your recording to the Assignment Dropbox on the MB-351 homepage.

Ideally, it’s an MP4 or WAV audio file. You will revisit this reflection in Week 2 when your website is set up and you translate this thinking into a written blog post.

Week 2 – January 27

Personal Cyberinfrastructure and Building Your Site

This week focuses on ownership and infrastructure. We will build on our discussion of personal branding from Week 1 and shift attention to the web as a space you can design, control, and sustain. We will explore what it means to have a personal cyberinfrastructure and why owning your digital space matters beyond any single platform.

In-Class Work

Discuss personal branding takeaways from Week 1 and vlogs
In small groups: 
1. Looking across your time at Skidmore, what patterns show up in the coursework, classes, experiences, and projects that mattered most to you, and what do those patterns say about how you think, work, or lead?
2. What coursework, projects, or experiences best represent you at your best, and what artifacts can you identify or begin collecting—papers, creative work, research, travel or internship experiences—that demonstrate skills, values, or ways of thinking a resume does not?
3. When someone encounters your digital presence today, how do you want to build on it or reshape the narrative so it reflects who you are now and where you are heading?

 

  • Set up Boodlebox accounts, overview and access to MB 351 Class space
  • Introduction to the course blog and creating posts on Community WordPress
  • Set up your WordPress site on Skidmore Domains
  • Explore how branding, audience, and identity influence site structure and design

Preparation and Readings for Next Class

 

Assignments

AI Reflection: Creative Insight at Work (BoodleBox and/or ChatGPT)

  1. Engage the Skidmore Creative Insight at Work bot in BoodleBox. If it’s running too slowly after 4 or 5 questions or if you would like a second perspective to compare, you may use the GPT version. This is a more developed version and may provide more extensive output. But first, in ChatGPT I recommend you confirm in the lower lefthand corner under Settings – > Data Controls -> Improve the Model for Everyone is set to Off. Like this.

This reflective assistant is designed to help you better understand how you think, work, and lead as you prepare to articulate your professional voice and brand. It integrates deep self-awareness through the Seven Gates framework practical leadership skills through the Eight Pillars behavioral insight through DiSC styles.

You will draw on this reflection in your voice log.

Be sure to copy and paste the final output of your engagement with Boodlebox and/or ChatGPT into an email to share with me. If you are comfortable with it, feel free to post it on the course blog as well. That let’s your colleagues get to know you better!

2.  Vlog #2: Reflecting on Self, Style, and AI (10–15 minutes)
Upload your vlog to the Assignment Dropbox on the course homepage by Monday evening.

Record a 10–15 minute voice log reflecting on what you learned about yourself through the DiSC assessment, Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies, the 4Ds Framework, and your experience so far working with AI tools.

Your goal is not to summarize content, but to demonstrate understanding and insight—especially how these frameworks connect to you.

Address the following areas in your reflection:

1. DiSC Assessment
Briefly explain what the DiSC assessment is designed to measure. Do you agree or disagree with how it characterizes you? Where did it feel accurate, and where did it feel less convincing? Identify any observations that felt especially meaningful, surprising, or useful.

2. Working with AI as a Reflective Partner
Reflect on your experience using AI during this activity. What was it like to engage in a reflective process with an AI system? Did it help you surface patterns, clarify language, or think more deliberately about yourself? Where did it support your thinking, and where did it feel limited or insufficient?

3. Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies
Identify where you currently place yourself within the Four Tendencies framework. Did the video confirm your understanding of how you respond to expectations, or did it challenge it? What did you learn about your tendencies when working with others, particularly in structured or collaborative environments?

4. The 4Ds Framework (Understanding + Completion Required)
Explain the 4Ds Framework in your own words, demonstrating that you understand what each “D” represents and how the framework is intended to be used.
Then reflect on how the 4Ds apply to you:

  • Which “D” do you most strongly identify with right now, and why?

  • Which one feels least natural or most challenging?

  • How might this framework help you make more intentional choices in learning, collaboration, or decision-making?

You should also explicitly state that you completed the 4Ds activity and received the certificate, and briefly note any takeaway from the process that stood out.

5. Strengths and Areas for Development
Drawing on both frameworks, identify key strengths in how you work, learn, or lead. What habits or tendencies should you be attentive to developing or managing this semester? Of the remaining styles or tendencies that do not describe you, which do you most prefer to work with—and why?

This voice log should be thoughtful, reflective, and grounded in the frameworks. Clarity and engagement matter more than polish. I’m listening for understanding, not performance.

Week 3 – February 3

Hands-on exploration of Boodlebox; Introduction to Divi theme layouts and visual builder. 

In-Class Work

Preparation and Readings for Next Class (2/10)

A. Watch the ChatGPT for Careers Video with Jeremy Schiefling [1 hour] You must view the entire video in order to meaningfully complete the assignments

Assignments

    1. Open Boodlebox and start a new thread. You may begin with a prompt like:

    “Here are my takeaways from the ChatGPT for Careers video.”

    In that thread, capture:

    • At least 3 specific takeaways from the video

    • One question, concern, or tension the video raised for you

    You may use Boodlebox AI to help organize or clarify your thinking, but the ideas must be yours.

    *** You will email me all of your Boodlebox threads, where I will comment on them directly.***

    2. Clarify Direction (Ikigai → Roles)

    As introduced in the video, complete your Ikigai.  Do not use AI to complete it for you.

    You may:

    • Print the Ikigai template and write on it, or

    • Draw your own four-circle Ikigai diagram on paper with your annotations, or

    • Use Canva, available in the Okta panel,to create a digial version with your annotations.

    Fill in all four main circles:

    • What you’re good at
      Specific skills and strengths, with evidence from coursework, jobs, projects, or internships.

    • What you love
      Activities, topics, or types of work that give you energy or sustained interest.

    • What the world needs
      Problems, roles, or contexts you care about contributing to.

    • What you can be paid for
      Realistic roles or skill applications (not idealized job titles).

    Aim for 5–10 words or short phrases per circle. Messy is fine.

    Important: Where Not to Write

    Do not write in the areas labeled:

    • Passion

    • Mission

    • Vocation

    • Profession

    These labels are interpretive, not input fields. They exist to help you notice patterns later.

    You do not need to:

    • Draw arrows

    • Create a legend

    • Perfectly balance the circles

    If something seems to belong near an overlap, you may place it closer to that overlap.

    You do not need to fill in the center.
    If a theme appears repeatedly across circles, you may lightly note it, but this is optional.

    This is not a test of precision. It’s a tool for noticing patterns.

    Take a clear photo or scan of your completed Ikigai and keep it available for your vlog.

    Generate Possible Roles (as shown in the video)

    Return to Boodlebox and use your Ikigai as input to move from self-knowledge to possible roles, following the process demonstrated in the video.

    You might prompt:

    “Based on my Ikigai (skills, interests, values, and constraints), generate specific job titles that could realistically fit me early in my career.”

    Continue the conversation to:

    • Refine vague roles into specific job titles

    • Eliminate roles that do not align with your strengths or values

    • Narrow to two roles you want to focus on

    You may switch models and ask AI to challenge your assumptions.

    Your goal here is focus, not exhaustiveness.

    3. Test Fit with Reality (AI + LinkedIn)

    Using LinkedIn:

    • Go to your college’s LinkedIn page

    • Open the Alumni tab

    • Look for people working in your two target roles

    In Boodlebox, you might ask:

    “Here is a LinkedIn profile of an alum in one of my target roles. What questions could I ask to determine whether this role is actually a good fit for me?”

    You are not required to contact them at this time but feel free to do so at your convenience. For now, this is about learning how to evaluate roles.

    4. Resume + Skills Check (Use Your Most Current Resume)

    Upload your most current version of your resume into Boodlebox.

    Find a real job posting for one of your target roles and ask:

    • “What are the most important skill keywords in this job description?”

    • “Which of these skills are missing or underrepresented in my resume?”

    Do not invent experience. This step is about understanding how fit is evaluated.

    5. Record and Upload Vlog #3

    Record a 10–15 minute vlog that captures your thinking across the entire assignment.

    This is the primary graded artifact.

    Your vlog should clearly address:

    A. Reflection on the Video

    • Your three most important takeaways from the video

    • One question, concern, or tension it raised

    • How the video confirmed, challenged, or changed how you think about job searching and AI

    B. Where You Started

    • Your initial assumptions or uncertainties

    • How broad or unfocused your thinking was at the beginning

    C. Ikigai → Focus

    • Patterns or tensions you noticed in your Ikigai

    • How it influenced the roles you explored or eliminated

    D. Using AI Well

    • One way AI genuinely helped your thinking

    • One place AI was generic, misleading, or had to be corrected

    • How changing models or approaches affected your results

    E. Decision-Making

    • One meaningful decision you changed because of this process

    • The role you are now focusing on and why it fits better than others

    You may reference your handwritten Ikigai during the vlog.

    This vlog should sound reflective, not scripted.

    6. Share Your Boodlebox Threads

    ***Email me all relevant Boodlebox threads:

    • Video reflection

    • Role generation and narrowing

    • Alumni questioning

    • Resume/skills analysis

    Do not clean them up. These show your thinking process.

    I will comment directly inside Boodlebox.

    Evaluation

    You are evaluated on:

    • Evidence of focus and narrowing

    • Responsible and critical use of AI

    • Willingness to challenge AI output

    • Accuracy and ownership

    • Depth of reflection in the vlog

    You are not graded on having a final career answer.

     —-

    B. LinkedIn Learning Power Initiation

    Follow this tutorial created by Luke Kretschman ’27 to make sure you are able to access the tool via Okta. Begin to Customize Your Career Plan and locate specific modules that are relevant to your career insterests and skill you aim to develop.

    Week 4 – February 10

    Hands-on web design studio

    In-Class Work

    • Studio Time: Focused in-class website development work

    Preparation and Readings for Next Class (2/17)

      1. Schedule an individual meeting with me during my office hours (by appointment). Come prepared to discuss your personal positioning, your intended industry or direction, and one strategic question about your digital presence. Treat this like a professional strategy session, not a casual check-in.

      2. Watch SkidPod Episode #7 with Ryan Dowling ’24
      https://skidcreate.domains.skidmore.edu/blog/skidpod/
      [21m 48s]

      Perform a site analysis of his personal domain. Be prepared to discuss:

      • Who is his target audience?
      • What is his value proposition?
      • How does the design support his goals?
      • What differentiates his brand?
      • How effectively does the site convert attention into opportunity?

      Approach this like a business case analysis, not a description.

      3. Complete your personal site design plan.

      Create your menu and page structure. Be intentional about:

      • Your positioning
      • Your target audience
      • The story your site tells
      • The action you want visitors to take

      Think strategically. Your site is a market-facing asset.

      4. Identify a LinkedIn profile that resonates with you.

      What makes it effective? What stands out?
      Be prepared to discuss your observations in class, anchoring your analysis in personal branding and digital positioning strategies we’ve discussed.

      Reverse-engineer why it works.

      5. Find your ideal “dream” role.

      This could be an internship, professional job, graduate fellowship or scholarhip, or MBA program you aspire to. 

      Use the search strategies Jeremy Schiefling demonstrated in the webinar. Use Boodlebox Perplexity and any other models to refine your search.

      Be prepared to explain:

      • Your search strategy
      • How you refined your criteria
      • Why the final opportunity fits your brand and goals

      6. Write your own job description.

      Imagine you’ve been given full authority to design your own role.

      Create a compelling job title, core responsibilities, and an employment/compensation package that reflects your strengths, ambitions, and values.

      This should read like a real posting.

      Week 5 – February 17

      In-Class Work

      1. Strategy Debrief
      We’ll begin by reflecting on your individual meeting.
      Be ready to share:

      One insight about your positioning

      One adjustment you’re making

      One strategic question you’re still wrestling with

      This is not casual reflection. Think like a founder refining a market strategy.

      2. Ryan Dowling Case Analysis
      We’ll analyze Ryan Dowling’s site as a business case.
      We’ll discuss:

      His target audience

      His value proposition

      How design supports his goals

      What differentiates his brand

      How effectively he converts attention into opportunity

      Come ready to argue your position with evidence.

      3. Personal Site Structure Review
      A few of you will walk us through:

      Your menu and page structure

      Your positioning

      The story your site tells

      The action you want visitors to take

      We’ll evaluate clarity and strategic alignment.

      4. LinkedIn Reverse Engineering
      We’ll review selected LinkedIn profiles you identified.
      We’re not describing them. We’re reverse-engineering why they work:

      Brand signals

      Audience targeting

      Proof of value

      Narrative arc

      5. Dream Role Alignment
      In pairs, you’ll explain:

      Your search strategy

      How you refined your criteria

      Why your selected role fits your brand

      Your partner will pressure-test your logic.

      6. Studio Time + Prompt Lab
      The final portion of class is working time.
      You’ll:

      Refine your site

      Explore the prompt library

      Select three prompts to test

      Create a new chat titled “Prompt Evaluation”

      Refine those prompts for your positioning

      Hands-on web design studio

      —————

      Preparation For Next Class (2/24)

      1. Watch Algorithms: Spirits in the Digital World.
      for an introduction to algorithms, LLMs, and generative AI. Be prepared to dicuss the video and specifically:

      a) Everyday Algorithm

      Identify one everyday example of an algorithm.

      Explain:

      • The goal

      • The ordered steps

      • The inputs

      • The output

      Be specific. Break it into a clear sequence.

      b) Skidmore Reference

      What was the Skidmore reference in the video?

      Explain:

      • What the example was

      • Why the speaker used it

      • What larger point it was illustrating

      c) The “Black Box” Problem

      In your own words, explain the “black box” problem.

      Address:

      • What makes a system difficult to understand from the outside

      • Why it matters when we cannot see how decisions are being made

      • One real-world example where this creates risk or concern

      2. How to build custom AI Bots in Boodlebox.

      Watch this* VIDEO * to learn how to build your bot.

      When you use the same structured prompt repeatedly, you have identified a repeatable workflow. Turning it into a bot makes the process consistent and more efficient. It also increases access, allowing others to use the same structured thinking without relying on you directly.

      Week 6 – February 24

      In-Class Work

        1. We will discuss the video
        Algorithms: Spirits in the Digital World and work through the following:

        • Share and analyze your everyday algorithm examples.

        • Discuss the Skidmore reference and what larger point it was meant to illustrate.

        • Break down the “black box” problem and examine why it matters in real-world systems.

        We will then shift to Boodlebox and:

        • Review how custom AI bots are built.

        • Discuss how repeated use of a structured prompt reveals a repeatable workflow.

        • Explore how turning that workflow into a bot increases consistency, efficiency, and access for others.

        Come prepared to contribute to discussion and connect ideas across these topics.

        2. Introduction to Podcasting
        3. Podcast Bot Project
        Locate the digital identity podcast strategist in the Class Prompt Library Folder.
        -5 minutes to brainstorm on your own
        -5 minutes in pairs to critique feedback
        -5 minutes for R&D class build
        4. Portfolio Check-In

        Preparation For Next Class (3/3)

        1. Podcast Episode Development
        Continue to build on the prompt we began in class. It will help you and also help us build a chatbot that other Skidmore students can use when getting started with podcasting. Have your topic identified by next class and a solid draft of your script.

        Listen to this podcast about how to embrace purposeful self-promotion for tips about creating your own episode where you engage in self-promotion with humility.

        Peruse this excellent podcast channel from Miami University with examples.  These episodes are a target you can aim for production-wise. Another example is from an interview with a Columbia MBA graduate. You should also search the web on your own for examples that inspire you. Use Perplexity in Boodlebox to help in your search. Pro tip: copy and paste content from web pages into your prompts to guide, focus and hone your search. Then… choose and analyze ONE episode that resonates with you and inspires you for own creative project. You will now do an an analysis to create VLOG #4 based on your notes. Take notes in Boodlebox using the template in the blog post about the assignment. Share the link to the Boodlebox chat with me (adding it to our shared folder) and upload your VLOG #4 to the Box folder on the course site homepage. 

        By now, you should have selected your topic. Create your podcast plan using this structured template to build your outline. Create it in a Google or online Excel spreadsheet that can be shared with me and easily updated by us both.

        2. Identify a repeatable prompt workflow in BoodleBox that you personally find useful and that could also help other Skidmore students. Think of something like the Podcast Producer prompt: a structured process you would use more than once, not a one-off question. If it’s something you return to regularly, it can likely be turned into a tool.

        That repeatable workflow is what you will develop into your bot project.

        Submit a brief outline of the workflow in our one-to-one BoodleBox folder a new chat entitled, “BOT Project.” This allows me to see how you’re structuring it and why it’s valuable to you and ideally others.

        3. Begin the Public Speaking Skills Professional Certificate by Toastmasters International course on LL to earn a LinkedIn Learning / Toastmaster professional certificate. Aim for at least 1 hour per week to complete this required assignment on time. Due date: Tuesday, 3/24.

        Week 7 – March 3

        In-Class Work

          1. Podcast Assignment Goals and Rubric

          2. Introduction to Audacity with Class Demo

          3. Bot Project Bot

          4. Studio Time

          Preparation For Next Class (3/17)

          1. Finalize your script (due on 3/15) using the MB351 Podcast Coach Bot

          Week 8 – March 17

          In-Class Work

            1. The  MB351 Boodlebot Assignment and MB351 Boodlebot Rubric